MURFREESBORO, TENN. – The FIU softball team rallied from a four-run deficit to push the game to extra innings before coming up just short in an 8-7 loss in the series finale at Middle Tennessee on Saturday in a contest that required nine innings to decide.
 
The Panthers, who trailed 6-2 after the initial two innings tied the game in the sixth and again in the seventh before falling on a sacrifice fly by Middle Tennessee in the bottom of the ninth.
 
Abigail Brown was key in the comeback and got things started for the Panthers in the fourth with an RBI single that cut the margin to 6-3.
 
Brown and Zamya McBurrows kept the press on in the sixth with doubles that drove home a total of three runs.  Brown laced a double to right center to drive in Casey Goguts and McBurrows followed with a two RBI two bagger to deadlock the score at 6-6.
 
After Garcia put the Blue Raiders back ahead 7-6 with a run-scoring base hit in the bottom of the sixth, Ella Whitney answered for FIU in the top of the seventh with a two-out infield single to tie the contest again at 7-7.
 
Whitney followed by pitching the next two innings in relief, including a scoreless seventh and eighth – allowing no hits and striking out one.  She also pitched in the ninth – taking the loss after allowing the winning run to score.
 
Middle Tennessee (16-21, 4-7 CUSA) opened the scoring with a solo homer by Ansley Blevins in the bottom of the first.
 
The Panthers responded with a pair of runs in the top of the second.  Following back-to-back singles by Goguts and Isabella Perez, Goguts advanced to third and scored on an errant toss back to the pitcher, tying the game at 1-1.  Collier Peaden drove in Perez with a sacrifice fly to center to give the Panthers a 2-1 edge.
 
The lead was short lived as Middle Tennessee posted five runs in the bottom of the second on back-to-back homers by Blevins and Garcia.  Blevins launched her second of the game, a grand slam to center field that was nearly robbed by FIU center fielder Kally Meredith, who had the ball in her glove before losing it as she crashed into the wall.  Garcoa followed one hitter later with a solo blast to increase the Blue Raiders' lead to 6-2.
 
The Panthers finished the game with a season-high 14 hits – including five doubles.  McBurrows, Goguts, Perez, Whitney and Brown each finished with two hits.
 
UP NEXT
The Panthers (14-20, 2-7 CUSA) return home for the first time in three weeks to host a three-game Conference USA series against UTEP (14-21, 4-5 CUSA) beginning on Friday, April 5 at 6 p.m.
 
Each game of the series will air live on ESPN+.
 
TICKETS
For more information on FIU Softball season and individual tickets, including student ticketing, call 305-FIU-GAME or visit the FIU Athletics Online Ticket Office.
 
SOCIAL MEDIA
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